Server, information providing method and recording medium for distributing a terminal with information containing menu and link arranged on image

ABSTRACT

A server for distributing information provided by an information provider as an information element group consisting of one or more information elements connected, to a user terminal. The server includes means for creating a hierarchical structure between the information elements via an image, means for receiving an access to an image related to the first information element, means for searching a second information element constituting a hierarchical structure with the first information element via the image, and means for arranging the second information element on the image and distributing it to the user terminal.

TECHNICAL FILED

The present invention relates to an information providing technology.

BACKGROUND ARTS

Owing to developments of the information communication technologies,various categories of information can be obtained via networks such asthe Internet, etc. On the other hand, information providers such asadvertisers of articles and services, who want to distribute theinformation, became able to easily originate their own advertisinginformation. For example, the following patent document 1 is known as amethod of providing the advertising information on the Internet.

Further, such pieces of information, which contain images, dynamicimages and sounds (voices) as the case may be in addition to characters,are effective representations of intentions of the originators.Accordingly, a browsing party became able to select various categoriesof information through a visual sense, an acoustic sense, etc., and ableto thus gather necessary pieces of information.

Those pieces of information are represented as an HTML (HyperText MarkupLanguage)-scripted Web page. The Web page can be linked via URLs(Uniform Resource Locators) to other Web pages without any restrictions.Therefore, the Web page has such a merit that related pieces ofinformation can be flexibly combined. Conversely, however, the Web pagedo not yet provide a sufficient scheme for such a case that highlyrelated pieces of information desired to be treated as a bundle ofintegrated information.

Particularly for an increase in data size required for representingthose pieces of information, there is not a sufficient rise incommunication capacity of the network. Accordingly, when the browsingparty obtains the information, there occurs inconvenience due to animbalance between the data size and the communication capacity.

For example, on the occasion of searching for information on a certainshop and for articles handled at this shop via a Web page on theInternet, the browsing party needs to access, at first, a top page ofthis shop and to display the entire top page.

Namely, in the case of obtaining the information from the Web page, thebrowsing party, to begin with, must wait for completion of downloadingan HTML file that scripts the entire top page (equivalent to one page)linking to that Web page. Then, when the top page is displayed, thebrowsing party traces the link displayed on this page, thus moving to anext page. In this case also, the browsing party, before tracing a nextlink, must wait till the entire page is displayed.

Then, there is a case where it might take a time long enough not to beworth using to display the Web page including a large-capacity contentsuch as images, etc. Further, there rises a communication cost for suchdisplaying. Moreover, there is a case in which a terminal having a smallmemory capacity might be incapable of displaying such a Web page itself.

Further, this type of Web page is designed generally on the assumptionof displaying on a personal computer including a VGA (Video GraphicsArray)-based display device. Therefore, the general type of Web page isdifficult to display on a terminal having only a small-screen displaydevice such as an on-vehicle device for car navigation, a PDA (PersonalDigital (Data) Assistant), a cellular phone, a PHS (Personal HandyphoneSystem), etc.

For example, a process of describing in an electronic mail only URL ofthe Web page containing images, etc. having a large data size anddelivering the mail to the information user, is conducted as acountermeasure.

For instance, a directory and a folder are known as a method ofrepresenting the information for dealing with related pieces ofinformation in addition to the Web page described above. The directoryand the folder are defined as a mechanism for storing the relatedinformation in a portion called a branch (or leaf) of a tree structure.

The directory and the folder are, however, insufficient in terms of afunction of further distinguishing between pieces of informationcontained under one branch. For instance, when trying to extract theinformation contained under one branch, it follows that all pieces ofinformation under this branch are captured irrespective of an intentionof the user who operates.

Further, the directory and the folder do not provide a scheme for afunction of maintaining, when extracting the information contained underone branch, relevancy to a high-order tree above this branch. Forexample, when the information contained in one single branch is copiedto other areas, there vanishes a hierarchical relationship with thehigh-order information, which was established before copying.

Patent Document 1

Japanese Patent Application No. 2756483

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was devised in view of the problems inherent inthe prior arts described above. Namely, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a technology that treats plural pieces ofinformation related to each other as a bundle of integrated informationgroup.

The present invention adopted the following means in order to solve theabove problems. Namely, the present invention is a server fordistributing an information content provided from an informationprovider to a user terminal, comprising means for accepting an access tothe information content from the user terminal, means for separating theaccessed information content into general information and mobileinformation, and mobile information providing means for getting themobile information downloaded onto the accessing user terminal.

Herein, the mobile information connotes information that is downloadedonto a user terminal, accumulated on the user terminal and carried by auser together with the user terminal. According to the presentinvention, the information content can be separated into the mobileinformation and the general information without any restrictions.

Preferably, the server may further comprise means for prompting theinformation provider to set the information content to be provided.

Preferably, the server may further comprise related information linkingmeans for linking plural pieces of mobile information by geographicalposition information, and getting these pieces of information as amobile information group accumulated on the user terminal.

Preferably, the mobile information group may contain parent informationhaving the geographical position information, and plural pieces of childinformation related to the geographical position, and the mobileinformation allocating means, when downloading the child information,may get the child information downloaded in linkage with the parentinformation onto the user terminal.

According to the present invention, when the user downloads the childinformation, the parent information containing the geographical positioninformation to which the child information is related, is alsodownloaded. Accordingly, the plural pieces of information, which aregeographically related, are set associated with each other and can bethus provided to the user.

Preferably, the server may further comprise means for getting theterminal to display user setting means for converting the generalinformation into the mobile information.

Preferably, the mobile information may have a keyword, and the servermay further comprise information searching means for searching for themobile information on the basis of the keyword.

Further, the present invention is a server for distributing to a userterminal an information content provided by an information provider asan element information group in which one or more pieces of elementinformation are linked together, comprising means for building up ahierarchical structure through an image between the pieces of elementinformation, means for accepting an access to the image related to firstelement information from the user terminal, means for searching forsecond element information that forms the hierarchical structure withthe first element information through the image, and means fordistributing the information to the user terminal in a way that locatesthe second element information on the image.

According to the present invention, the first element information andthe second element information build up the hierarchical structure viathe image. The server, when the image is accessed, searches for thesecond element information that builds up the hierarchical structurewith the first element information, and locates the second elementinformation on this image, thus providing the information to the user.

Preferably, the server may further comprise means for adding informationthat geographically locates highest-order element information in thehierarchical structure, means for accepting an input of informationrelated to the geographical position from the user terminal, means forsearching for the element information located in a range of mapinformation containing the geographical position, and means fordistributing the information to the user terminal in a way that locatesthe retrieved element information on the map information.

According to the present invention, upon receiving the input of theinformation related to the geographical position, the map information issearched for, and the element information exiting in the range of themap information is also searched for, thus providing the information tothe user.

Moreover, the present invention is a server for distributing to a userterminal an information content provided by an information provider asan element information group in which one or more pieces of elementinformation are linked together, comprising means for adding, to theelement information, reference information referring to a plurality ofrelated images, means for adding, to the element information, selectioninformation for selecting an image, accessed from on the user terminal,of the plurality of images, means for building up a hierarchicalstructure through the image between the pieces of element information,and means for presenting the reference information in conformity withthe hierarchical structure.

According to the present invention, the element information group isdistributed to the user terminal, and hence, when selecting the accesstarget image on the user terminal, the selection information forselecting the image is displayed in conformity with the hierarchicalstructure among the pieces of element information. Therefore, even whenreferring to the element information extending over the plurality ofhierarchies via the image, only the selection information can be tracedthroughout the plurality of hierarchies without referring to the image.

Further, the present invention may be a method for making a computerexecute any one of the processes described above. Still further, thepresent invention may be a program for making the computer actualize anyone of the functions described above. Yet further, the present inventionmay be a readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with such aprogram.

The readable-by-computer recording medium herein connotes recordingmediums capable of storing information such as data, programs, etc.electrically, magnetically, optically and mechanically or by chemicalaction, which can be read by the computer. Among those recordingmediums, the mediums demountable from the computer are, e.g., a floppydisk (flexible disk), a magneto-optic disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R/W, a DVD, aDAT, an 8 mm tape, a memory card, etc.

Further, the recording mediums fixed within the computer are exemplifiedsuch as a hard disk, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and so on.

As described above, according to the present invention, the pluralpieces of information, which are related to each other, are bundled intothe integrated information group and can thus be treated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of a system architecture of a whole information systemaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of an image showing how an information capsule issuperimposed on map data;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an image of a shop capsule;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of an image of an image link built up by a pluralityof information capsules;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a data structure of an icon information database;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a data structure of an attribute informationdatabase;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a data structure of a menu/link informationdatabase;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a data structure of a position informationdatabase;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a map data acquisitionprocess;

FIG. 10 is a diagram (1) showing a processing flow of the informationcapsule having no image link;

FIG. 11 is a diagram (1) showing a processing flow of the informationcapsule having the image link;

FIG. 12 is a diagram (2) showing a processing flow of the informationcapsule having no image link;

FIG. 13 is a diagram (2) showing a processing flow of the informationcapsule having the image link;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a download process of the informationcapsule on a server 1;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an edit process of the informationcapsule;

FIG. 16 is a diagram of links between the information capsules accordingto a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a relationship between the informationcapsule and a menu;

FIG. 18 is a conceptual view of a process of displaying menu items ofthe information capsule linked to a plurality of hierarchies throughout;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart (1) of displaying the menu items of theinformation capsule linked to the plurality of hierarchies throughout;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart (2) of displaying the menu items of theinformation capsule linked to the plurality of hierarchies throughout;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart (3) of displaying the menu items of theinformation capsule linked to the plurality of hierarchies throughout;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a process of registering the informationcapsule in a private area in a third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing a process of referring to the informationcapsule from the private area in the third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 24 is a conceptual view showing a process of updating theinformation capsule in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an update status of the informationcapsule;

FIG. 26 is a chart showing an example of a data structure of aninformation capsule management table in the fourth embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the information capsule updating process;

FIG. 28 shows an example of data of the information capsule according toa fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an outline of processing of the informationsystem based on a mutual conversion between RDB and XML;

FIG. 30 shows an example of a capsule management table;

FIG. 31 shows an example of a MyCapsule management table;

FIG. 32 shows an example of a template generated as a standard capsule;

FIG. 33 shows an example of a MyCapsule management screen;

FIG. 34 shows an example of a shop capsule management screen;

FIG. 35 shows an example of a shop database batch management screen;

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an outline of processing when referring toa database related to a building, a shop and an article;

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing an outline of processing when acquiring thecapsules related to the building, the shop and the article; and

FIG. 38 shows a display example of a MyBasket-based information capsule.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter bedescribed with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

An information system according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention will be explained with reference to the drawings in FIGS. 1through 15.

<System Architecture>

FIG. 1 shows a view of a system architecture of the present informationsystem. This system is configured of a server 1 operated by a serviceproviding company such as a cable TV company, a business planingcompany, etc., a map information server 3 operated by an informationproviding company for providing map information and content information,and a terminal 2 of an information user who accesses the server 1 via anetwork such as a cable TV network, the Internet and so on.

Herein, the network connotes, for example, the Internet, the cable TVnetwork, a wired or wireless or optical communication network, etc.

The server 1 executes a variety of information processing programs andthus provides various categories of services to the users (includingboth of information providers and the information users) via theInternet, the cable TV network, etc. The server 1 is classified,depending on functions provided by the server, into a WWW (World WideWeb) server, an application server and a database server. According tothe present embodiment, such a variety of servers are generically termedthe server 1.

The single server 1 may provide such functions, and the servers 1 thatare different according to the functions may also be provided. Theserver 1 is a general type of computer including a CPU, a memory, a harddisk, a communication interface and so on. These components andoperations thereof are widely known, and hence their explanations areomitted.

In the present information system, the server 1 provides the informationuser with information called an information capsule (corresponding toelement information). The server 1 serving as the database server hasvarious types of databases such as an information capsule database 11stored with such pieces of information capsules, an information capsuleowner database recorded with owners of the respective informationcapsules, a subscriber information database (FIG. 1 shows, e.g., a CATVsubscriber DB as a cable TV network subscriber database) recorded withusers of services such as the cable TV, etc., a private database 16 as aprivate storage area for every subscriber, an image database 20 storedwith images of facilities and shops that are associated with theinformation capsules, and so forth. Those databases may, however, bemanaged by the single server 1 or may also be managed in distribution bya plurality of servers 1.

The map information server 3 has a map information database 10, andprovides map information about a requested spot by request from theserver 1. The map information is raster data developed over arectangular area and distinguished by latitude and longitude of adiagonal position. GIS (Geographical Information System) is widely knownas an information system using this type of map information. Hardwarecomponents of the map information server 3 are the same as the server 1has.

The terminal 2 utilized by the information user includes a CPU, amemory, a hard disk, a display device, operation units (such as akeyboard, a pointing device, a remote controller, etc.), a communicationunit and so on.

The terminal 2 is a device having a communication function thatcommunicates with any one of the networks given above and capable ofdigital data processing by the CPU or the like. The terminal 2 is, forexample, a personal computer, PDA (Personal Digital (Data) Assistant), acar navigation system (an on-vehicle system), a receiver (a set-top box)for the cable television and satellite broadcasting, a digital TVreceiver, one of devices known as personal digital electronics, acellular phone, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) and so on.

The information user accesses the server 1 via the network by use ofsuch a type of terminal 2, and requests the server 1 to download adesired piece of information capsule.

The server 1 edits the information capsule requested from on theterminal 2 and downloads the information capsule into the terminal 2.The downloaded information capsule is displayed on the display device ofthe terminal 2.

The information capsule according to the present embodiment containslinks to other related information capsules. Therefore, the informationuser can trace the links further to the related information capsulesfrom the displayed information capsule.

Note that in this case a content of the information capsule (mobileinformation) may actually be downloaded into and accumulated on theterminal 2. In an actual use, however, the information capsule is notnecessarily stored on the terminal 2. For example, the server side isprovided with a dedicated-to-user area, and the information capsule maybe registered in this area. The user may refer to the dedicated-to-userarea as the necessity may arise, and may get the information capsuledisplayed on the terminal 2.

<Concept of Information Capsule>

FIG. 2 illustrates an image of map data on which the information capsuleis superimposed. A configuration of the information capsule is formed ofan icon displayed against a background image and menus (which aretypically pull-down menus or pop-up menus) displayed in the vicinity ofthe icon.

The information capsule contains position information based on thebackground image and information for displaying the menus. In FIG. 2,the map is employed as background image data. Then, there is displayedan icon (e.g., an icon 30 of the Hotel X) of the information capsulethat is position within a range of this map.

When the information user moves an on-screen cursor onto this icon byusing an unillustrated operating unit, the information capsule isspecified by the icon. Then, the menu contained in this informationcapsule is displayed. Thus, an operation of placing the cursor onto anobject such as the icon, the menu, etc. is expressed as ‘putting afocus’ or termed ‘focusing’. Moreover, when the information user focusesan item in the menu, a low-order menu appended to this item isdisplayed.

Further, the present information system provides, together with thedisplay of the information capsule, a filtering means called searchprocedure information. As shown in FIG. 2, category items of theinformation capsule are displayed together with checkboxes in a searchprocedure information area for displaying the search procedureinformation. The category items are referred to as the search procedureinformation.

The search procedure information is information for designating names offacilities such as a bus stop, a building, a condominium, a hotel, abank, etc. and designating a spot and a district as by subdivision of atown, a street number, a name of road, etc. The present informationsystem selects an information capsule belonging to a category designatedby the search procedure information, and displays this informationcapsule to the information user.

FIG. 3 illustrates an image of a shop capsule by way of one example ofthe information capsule. As shown in FIG. 3, the information capsulecontains icon information, attribute information, menu information, linkinformation and position information.

The icon information is information that forms a mark (which is, forexample, the icon 30 in FIG. 3) for displaying the information capsuleon the screen. The icon information consists of an image, characters,character strings, etc. The icon information is described in an SVF(Scalable Vector Graphics) format in the present embodiment, and canalso express animation.

The attribute information consists of, for example, a category of theinformation capsule, a valid period and link information to otherinformation capsules.

The menu information is data for displaying the menu contained in theinformation capsule (wherein the menu information corresponds toselection information). The link information is stored inside the menuinformation, and information about a link destination when the menu isselected is set in the link information (wherein the link informationcorresponds to reference information).

In the present information system, the link destination is a program forexecuting a process named “image link” or is a normal Web page. Theserver 1 searches, as to the image link, for an image designated by aparameter “image No.” and for other information capsules superimposed onthis image, and gets the image and other information capsules displayedon the terminal 2 of the information user. This image link is actualizedby, for instance, CGI (Common Gateway Interface) or JSPs (Java SeverPages).

For example, according to JSPs, JavaScript for executing the image linkbased on Java language is embedded in an XML (eXtensible MarkupLanguage) file that describes the Web page and is executed in responseto a request (a menu selection) given from a client, thereby executing asearch for the designated image and a selection of the informationcapsule superimposed on this image.

Further, when the link destination is the normal Web page, this Web pageis displayed on the terminal 2. It is to be noted that the menuinformation and the link information are assembled together, which mayalso be called menu/link information.

The position information specifies a position of the information capsuleon the background image. For instance, when the background image is amap, the position information is stored with latitudes and longitudesencompassed within this map. Moreover, when the background image isother than the map, for example, an image like a layout of a building,the position information is stored with image No. For identifying thisimage and coordinates indicating a position within the image.

Thus, the information capsule is formed of the map (background image),the icon, the attribute, the menu/link information and the position, andis dealt with in distinction from the general Web page.

FIG. 4 shows an image of an image link configured by a plurality ofinformation capsules. A station building capsule indicated by acharacter string ‘station building’ is displayed on a map 90 depicted inan upper left area in FIG. 4. It is assumed that this station buildingbe constructed of, e.g., petit edifices A and B (which will hereinafterbe simply called edifices A and B). The station building capsulecontains menu selection items (a sectional view of the station building,i.e., the edifices A and B) corresponding to a structure of the stationbuilding. When the information user focuses an icon of the stationbuilding on the map, a menu of the station building capsule isdisplayed.

Now, supposing that the information user selects the sectional view ofthe station building from the station building capsule menu, a stationbuilding sectional view 91 and icons of information capsules (e.g.,first through ninth floor capsules of the edifice A, first through ninthfloor capsules of the edifice B, etc.) contained in this sectional view,are displayed on the terminal 2 of the information user. Thus, a datastructure for searching, via the images, for the information capsulesdisposed within the images of the map, the building and part of thebuilding, is called the image link (corresponding to a hierarchicalstructure via images).

In this case, the icon (which is referred to as, e.g., an edifice-Aicon) of the information capsule (which is called, e.g., an edifice-Acapsule) associated with the edifice A, may be disposed in the sectionof the station building. The edifice-A icon contains menu selectionitems (e.g., a sectional view of the edifice A and the respective floorsof the edifice A) corresponding to the structure of the edifice A.Similarly, the icon (which is referred to as, e.g., an edifice-B icon)of the information capsule (which is called, e.g., an edifice-B capsule)associated with the edifice B, may be disposed in the section of thestation building. The edifice-B icon contains menu selection items(e.g., a sectional view of the edifice B and the respective floors ofthe edifice B) corresponding to the structure of the edifice B.

Moreover, when the information user selects, for instance, the edifice Bfrom the menu of the station building, there are displayed a edifice-Bsectional view 92 and icons of the information capsules (e.g., firstthrough ninth floor capsules of the edifice B, etc.) contained in thesectional view of the edifice B.

When the information user puts a focus on the seventh floor capsule(indicated by a seventh floor icon in FIG. 4) of the edifice B of thestation building, a menu (a view of the seventh floor of the edifice B,an area 1 (shop 1) through an area 8 (shop 8), etc.) contained in thiscapsule is displayed.

When the information user selects, for example, the view of the seventhfloor of the edifice B from the menu, the view of the seventh floor isdisplayed, and the information capsules (e.g., the areas 1 through 8)contained in this floor view are displayed. Shops are located in theindividual areas. Accordingly, the station building edifice-B seventhfloor capsule links to a shop capsule associated to each area, e.g., aninformation capsule, etc. of a beauty saloon in the area 5.

Therefore, when the information user selects the area 5 from the menu ofthe edifice-B seventh floor capsule, there are displayed a floor view ofthe area 5 and the information capsule of the beauty saloon conducting abusiness in the area 5. Note that the link from within the menu may alsobe set so that a Web page is displayed in place of displaying the imageand the information capsule by the selection from the menu.

Further, an information capsule retaining article-by-article informationof the shop may also be linked to within the shop information capsule.Still further, a maker's information capsule may also be link to thearticle information capsule. As a result, the maker can utilize theinformation capsule as a means for monitoring consumer reactions to thearticles and the maker itself.

The thus-established image link or the link to the Web page builds upthe hierarchical structure including the geographical position, thebuilding, the floors, the areas and the shops. This hierarchicalstructure is called a semantic network.

It should be noted that the process of searching for the low-orderinformation capsules by tracing the image link is compiled by, forinstance, CGI, JSPs in the present information system. Moreover, theprocess of tracing the link to the low-order information capsules or theWeb page from the menu is similar to the process of the normal Webserver with HTTP.

<Data Structure>

As stated in the description in FIG. 3, the information capsule consistsof the icon information, the attribute information, the menu/linkinformation and the position information. These pieces of informationare stored on an icon information database 12, an attribute informationdatabase 13, a menu/link information database 14 and a positioninformation database 15 of the server 1. These databases are genericallycalled an information capsule database 11. Structures of these databaseswill hereinafter be illustrated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a data structure of the icon information database12. The icon information database 12 is a database for managing theimage information configuring the icons. The icon represents a visualimage of helping recognize contents of the information capsule. The iconinformation database 12 consists of an information capsule ID and one ormore icon file names.

The information capsule ID is a piece of information for uniquelyidentifying the information capsule. The information capsule ID isstructured of a code of an entrepreneur (a common carrier) that providesservices of CATV, ASP (Application Service Provider), etc., a subscribercode to the entrepreneur, and a serial number. Note that the informationcapsule ID may be structured of URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

The icon file name is a file name of a file for storing the icon images.The icon image may, however, contain a character string. Each of recordsof the icon information database 12 retains one or more icon file namesassociated with icon types. For example, the first icon file name servesfor a standard icon, the second icon file name serves for a small icon,the third icon file name serves for an intermediate icon, and so on.

The icon type connotes herein a type of the icon contained in oneinformation capsule, and, for instance, there are prepared the standardicon, the small icon, the intermediate icon, a large icon, a bannertype, a list format, etc.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a data structure of the attribute informationdatabase 13. The attribute information database 13 is a database inwhich to define various categories of attributes of the informationcapsules. A table shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to one record of theattribute information database 13. The record contains respective fieldssuch as an information capsule ID, an information capsule name, anattribute, a valid period and capsule link information.

The information capsule ID is the same as what has been explained in theicon information database 12. The information capsule name contains aname definition of this information capsule. The information capsulename prepares names that are different according to a plurality ofInternet access devices utilized by the information users. A name lengthis ruled corresponding to a resource of each individual informationdevice such as ‘Station Building for PC’ for a personal computer,‘Station Building’ for the cellular phone or the PHS, and so forth.Then, it is managed depending on a storage location which informationdevice the individual name is associated with. For instance, the firstname is associated with the personal computer, the second name isassociated with the cellular phone, and so on.

The attribute is a code for defining a category of each informationcapsule. Categories of the buildings and the shops, which are associatedwith the information capsules, are set as the attributes. The attributecodes are ruled by systems such as 1: Private practice doctor, 2:Hospital, 3: Restaurant, 4: Convenience store, and so forth.

The valid period is a valid period of the information capsule. The validperiod contains an effective date (year/month/day) and an expirationdate (year/month/day). The information capsule, after being created,receives accessibility from on the server 1, ranging from the effectivedate up to the expiration date.

In the present information system however, the setting of the validperiod may be omitted. The information capsule with no setting of anyvalid period remains valid limitlessly on the server 1 unless explicitlydeleted.

The capsule link information is an information capsule ID of theinformation capsule that is of a higher-order by one than eachinformation capsule. The capsule link information defines a hierarchicalrelationship between the capsule concerned and the high-orderinformation capsule.

FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a data structure of the menu/link informationdatabase 14. The menu/link information database 14 defines a menubelonging to the individual information capsule and a link destinationgetting a link established from the menu. The menus having a pluralityof hierarchies (three hierarchies at the maximum) can be defined in theinformation capsule in the same way as the general pull-down menus orthe pop-up menus can be.

The menu/link information database 14 consists of an information capsuleID, menu hierarchical information, and first hierarchical information,second hierarchical information and third hierarchical information. Themenu hierarchical information is the number of menu hierarchies.

Menu items of the first hierarchy are defined in the first hierarchicalinformation. The first hierarchical information contains a menu count, amenu text, menu-text-by-menu-text link information and a pointer to thesecond hierarchical information. The menu count is the number of menuitems.

The menu texts are character strings representing the respective menuitems. In the present embodiment, the menu texts prepare names that aredifferent according to the plurality of Internet access devices utilizedby the information users. This is similar to the icon file names in theicon information database and with the information capsule names in theattribute information database. Then, the link information specifyingthe link destination is retained as the menu-text-by-menu-text linkinformation for every menu text according to each application.

Two types of information are selectively stored in themenu-text-by-menu-text link information. The first type of informationis URL specifying a Web page as the link destination. Further, thesecond type of information is URL to an application program thatexecutes the image link, and a parameter transferred to the applicationprogram.

A process in such a case that URL to the Web page is selected from themenu, is the same as a process (HTTP, HyperText Transfer Protocol)executed between a normal Browser and a web server.

When the image link is selected from the menu, a piece of information(image No.) that specifies the image used for the image link istransferred to this application program. The application programsearches for an image file on the basis of the thus-transferred imageNo., and further searches for an information capsule contained in thatimage. Then, the application program performs editing to superimpose theinformation capsule contained in the image, and sends the edited databack to the terminal 2.

The pointer to the second hierarchical information designates, for therespective menu items defined in the first hierarchical information, anaddress of the second hierarchical information that defines the menu ofthe second hierarchy belonging to the low-order thereunder.

The second hierarchical information is defined next to the firsthierarchical information. The second hierarchical information gets alink established via the pointer to the second hierarchical informationfrom each of the menu items of the first hierarchical information.Further, the third hierarchical information is defined for the secondhierarchical information.

FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a data structure of the position informationdatabase 15. The position information database 15 has definitions ofpositions of the information capsules against the background image. Atable shown in FIG. 8 corresponds to one record of the positioninformation database 15. The record contains respective fields such asan information capsule ID, a position category and position information.

The information capsule ID is similar to that of the icon informationdatabase 12. A category of the information for specifying the positionis recorded in the position category. For example, when the positioncategory is 1, a map is designated. When the position category is 2, animage is designated. When the position category is 3, nothing isdesignated, and so forth.

The position information contains, when the position category is themap, information indicating a latitude and a longitude. Further, whenthe position category is the image, there are designated an image No.that specifies a background image and a position within the backgroundimage by a relative number of dots.

The image No. is information serving as a search key for searching forthe image on the image database 20. A coordinate system is that, forexample, an origin is set in an upper left position of the backgroundimage, an X-axis is given in a right direction, while a Y-axis is givenin a downward direction.

Further, when none of the position categories are designated, theposition information is blanked.

<Operation>

The following is an explanation of the application program executed bythe CPU of the server 1 and of the process actualized by Browser on theterminal 2 (which will hereinafter be simply called Browser) of theinformation user. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow of a mapdata acquisition process.

In this process, at first, the information user inputs pieces ofinformation such as an address, a postal code, a name of the station,etc. of a district which the information user wants to obtaininformation about, and a search condition for specifying thisinformation onto an input screen of a Website displayed on the terminal2 (S1). The search condition herein connotes a service category, anarticle category, etc. The Browser on the terminal 2 transmits theinputted information to the server 1.

The server 1 gets the map data searched for through the map database 10on the basis of the transmitted information such as the address, thepostal code or the name of the station, etc., thereby obtaining a searchresult (S2). The map data is structured of a bitmap-formatted image, amap data size indicating a lengthwise distance and a crosswise distanceof this image, and latitude/longitude information of two diagonalpositions (e.g., an upper left point and a lower right point).

Next, the server 1 searches the information capsule database 11 for aninformation capsule contained in the map concerned and coincident withthe search condition on the basis of the latitude/longitude informationof the two diagonal positions (S3). To be specific, the server 1acquires the information capsule of which the latitude and the longitudeare encompassed by the map range by searching the position informationdatabase 8.

Subsequently, the server 1 performs editing so as to superimpose theretrieved information capsule on the map data and sends the edited datato the terminal 2 (client) (S4). This edited data is described in, e.g.,XML (eXtensible Markup Language). The terminal 2 displays theinformation capsule on the received map (S5).

FIGS. 10 and 12 are diagrams each showing a processing flow of theinformation capsule having no image link. Further, FIGS. 11 and 13 arediagrams each showing a processing flow of the information capsulehaving the image link. The following is a description of a result of theoperation shown in FIG. 9 and of a process with respect to theinformation capsule displayed on the terminal 2.

In this process, for instance, the information user operates theoperation unit on the terminal 2, and focuses the cursor upon theinformation capsule on the map (S6). For example, the information userputs the focus on the information capsule of the station building.

Then, the Browser judges whether the focused information capsule has theimage link or not (S7). If there is no image link, the Browser has thepop-up menu displayed pursuant to the definition information of theinformation capsule (S8).

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, if the focused information capsule has theimage link (S11), the Browser requests the server 1 for a link image(S12). Herein, the request for the link image connotes a request for abackground image and a low-order information capsule superimposed onthis image. Upon this request, an image No. of the background image issent to the application program of the server 1.

Then, the server 1 starts up the designated application program (JSP,CGI, etc.), and transfers the image No. as a parameter. The applicationprogram on the server 1 searches the image database 20 for thebackground image (e.g., a sectional view of the station building) forthe requested information capsule (S13). The image database 20 is adatabase for managing the background image for the information capsule,and retains the image data with the image No. serving as a key.

Next, the server 1 searches the information capsule database 11 for theinformation capsule contained in the requested background image (thesectional view of the station building) (S14). Namely, the server 1searches the position information database 15 for the informationcapsule in which the aforementioned image No. serves as an image No. ofthe background image.

Then, the server 1 performs editing in a way that superimposes theretrieved information capsule on the image data of the background image,and sends the edited data to the terminal 2 (client). Upon receivingthis edited data, the terminal 2 executes displaying in a way thatsuperimposes the information capsule on the background image.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show processes of the information system in a case wherethe information user traces the image link. These processes are the sameas the processes in FIGS. 10 and 11 except a point that the backgroundimage is not the map but a normal image file.

Specifically, the information user operates the operation unit on theterminal 2 and focuses the cursor upon the information capsule on withinthe background image (S6). For example, the information user puts thefocus on the information capsule of the seventh floor of the edifice-Bwithin the sectional view of the station building.

Then, the Browser judges whether the focused information capsule has theimage link or not (S7). If there is no image link, the Browser has thepop-up menu displayed pursuant to the definition information of theinformation capsule (S8).

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, if the focused information capsule has theimage link (S11), the Browser requests the server 1 for the link image(S12). Upon this request, an image No. of the background image is sentto the application program of the server 1.

Then, the server 1 starts up the designated application program (JSP,CGI, etc.), and transfers the image No. as a parameter. The applicationprogram on the server 1 searches the image database 20 for thebackground image (e.g., a floor view of the seventh floor of the stationbuilding) for the requested information capsule (S13).

Next, the server 1 searches the information capsule database 11 for theinformation capsule contained in the requested background image (thefloor view of the seventh floor of the station building) (S14). Then,the server 1 performs editing in a way that superimposes the retrievedinformation capsule on the image data of the background image, and sendsthe edited data to the terminal 2 (client). With this edited datareceived, the terminal 2 executes the display in a way that superimposesthe information capsule on the background image.

FIG. 14 shows a download process of the information capsule in theserver 1. In this process, to start with, the server 1 receives aninformation display data creation request (which contains theinformation indicating a point and a search condition) from the terminal2 (client) (S20).

Then, the server 1 acquires the map data from the map informationdatabase 10 of the map information server 3 connected via the Internet(S21).

Next, the server 1 searches the position information database 15 for aninformation capsule (the information capsule may also be called iconinformation) belonging to a range defined by range information (of alongitude and a latitude) of the map data (S22).

Subsequently, the server 1 extracts (filtering) the relevant informationcapsule on the basis of the search condition designated from on theterminal 2 such as a category of the information capsule, a validperiod, etc. (S23).

Next, the server 1 creates information capsule data from the menu/linkinformation (S24). Further, the server 1 extracts SVG data of theinformation capsule from the icon information database (S25).

Subsequently, the server 1 superimposes the information capsule on themap information (S26). Then, the server 1 transmits the map informationand the information capsule, which have been superimposed together, tothe terminal 2 (client) (S27).

FIG. 15 shows an information capsule edit process. This process supportscreation of the information capsule by an information provider, e.g., anarticle advertiser who desires to distribute information by way of theinformation capsule, and by a surrogate creator who creates anadvertisement. This process is actualized as a program of theapplication server or a program executed locally on the terminal 2. Thistype of program will hereinafter be called an edit program (the editprogram may also be referred to as an authoring tool).

In this process, to begin with, the edit program generates aninformation capsule ID (S30). Next, the edit program prompts theinformation provider to designate as to whether the relevant informationcapsule is a highest-order capsule or not. Then, the edit program judgesa result of the designation (S31).

If the relevant information capsule is the highest-order capsule, theedit program advances to a process in S33. Whereas if the informationcapsule is not the highest-order capsule, the edit program registers ahigher-order information capsule ID in the capsule link information (seeFIG. 6) (S32).

Next, the edit program prompts the information provider to register anicon of the information capsule (S33). The edit program further promptsthe information provider to register a name of the information capsule(S34). The edit program still further prompts the information providerto register an attribute of the information capsule (S35). The editprogram yet further prompts the information provider to register a validperiod of the information capsule (S36).

Moreover, The edit program prompts the information provider to registera menu hierarchy count of the information capsule (S37). Then, the editprogram prompts the information provider to register information capsulemenus and link destinations associated with these menus by a quantitycorresponding to the menu hierarchy count (S38).

Next, the edit program judges whether the background image is the map ornot (S40). The background image is the map, which implies a case wherethe relevant information capsule is the highest-order informationcapsule (refer to the judgment in S31). When the background image is themap, the edit program waits for the information provider to input asearch condition of the map data (S41).

When the information provider inputs the search condition of the mapdata, the server 1 requests the map information server 2 to acquire themap data (S42). Then, the server 1 acquires the map data (S43).Successively, the edit program displays the map data on the screen.

Next, the edit program prompts the information provider to input a mapdata position (S44). The map data position connotes a position in whichthe information capsule is disposed on the map. When the informationprovider inputs the map data position, the edit program registers themap data position in the position information database 15 (S45).

While on the other hand, when judging in S40 that the background imageis not the map, the edit program waits for the information provider toinput a search condition of the image (S46). Then, the edit programacquires the image from the image database 20 (S47). Further, the editprogram displays the image on the screen.

Next, the edit program prompts the information provider to input animage data position (S48). The image data position connotes a positionin which the information capsule is disposed on the background image.When the information provider inputs the image data position, the server1 registers the image data position in the position information database15 (S49). Thereafter, the edit program terminates the process.

Effect of Embodiment

As discussed above, according to the present information, the advertisercan define the object which the advertiser wants to advertisepersonally, for instance, a shop, an article, etc. as the informationcapsule, and can simply distribute the information. In this case, theimage No. of the image to be image-linked and of the intra-imageposition is designated, whereby this information capsule can beincorporated into the menu link information of the higher-orderinformation capsule via the image link.

For example, as for a shop located in an area 5 on the seventh floor ofthe edifice-B of the station building, if the image No. of the seventhfloor of the edifice-B of the station building and a display position ofthe icon within the image are designated in the position informationdatabase 15, the shop capsule can be interlinked to a link such asStation Building Capsule=>Edifice-B 7th Floor Capsule=>Area 5.

Modified Example

According to the first embodiment discussed above, the district map isspecified from the geographical information such as the address, thepostal code, the station, etc., and the information capsule contained inthe map is downloaded. The embodiment of the present invention is not,however, limited to such a procedure. A keyword search by using termscontained in the information capsule such as a name and an attribute ofthe information capsule may be usable (see FIG. 6). To be specific, theinformation capsule containing specified terms as the name and theattribute of the information capsule, may also be downloaded into theterminal 2.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter bediscussed with reference to FIGS. 16 through 21. FIG. 16 is a view ofhow the information capsules are interlinked according to the secondembodiment. FIG. 17 is a view showing a relationship between theinformation capsule and the menu. FIG. 18 is a conceptual view of aprocess of displaying menu items of the information capsule linked to aplurality of hierarchies. FIGS. 19 through 21 are diagrams of processingflows for displaying the menu items of the information capsule linked tothe plurality of hierarchies.

The first embodiment has exemplified the process of downloading theinformation capsule registered on the server 1 into the terminal 2 ofthe information user.

The second embodiment will exemplify a process executed by theinformation system when the information user downloads the informationcapsules configuring the plurality of hierarchies. In this case, thepresent information system downloads batchwise the menu/link informationfrom the information capsules linked to the lower-order under therelevant information capsule, and gets the menus of the informationcapsules linking to the plurality of hierarchies displayed together onthe terminal 2. Other configurations and operations of the presentinformation system are the same as those in the first embodiment. Suchbeing the case, the same components are marked with the same referencenumerals of which the explanations are omitted. Further, the drawings inFIGS. 1 through 15 will be referred to when the necessity may arise.

Concept of Information System in Second Embodiment

FIG. 16 shows the view of how the information capsules are interlinkedaccording to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16, representationsof the information capsules are given as image views on screens 200through 203. The first embodiment has exemplified the procedure ofreaching the target information (the information capsule or the Webpage) by sequentially tracing the image link. In this procedure, thepresent information system downloads, e.g., a map on the screen 200,downloads the sectional view of the edifice-B of the station building,further selects the information capsule of the seventh floor of theedifice-B, then downloads the floor view of the seventh floor of theedifice-B on the screen 202, and finally downloads the informationcapsule of the target shop.

According to the second embodiment, the information system thatdownloads shop information directly from an around-the-station mapinformation page, will be explained. The conventional Browser adopted,as such a method, a procedure of registering, for instance, a Web pageof the shop in a bookmark and selecting the information capsule from alist of the bookmark.

The bookmark, however, necessitates the information user's accessingpreviously the Web page of the shop once at the beginning. Further, aproblem inherent in the bookmark is its incapability of maintaining aninformation linkage such as Around-the-Station Map=>Station BuildingEdifice-B=>7th Floor=>Shop, and so on.

In the present information system, when the information user downloadsthe around-the-station map page, a plurality of information capsuleslinked to this map are traced, and further menus and links are tracedextending over a plurality of hierarchies from information capsules thatare image-linked to the former group of information capsules. Throughsuch a process, the present information system provides the informationuser with a function of moving directly to the target informationcapsule or Web page.

FIG. 17 shows a relationship between the information capsule and themenu. As explained in the first embodiment, each information capsule hasthe menu/link information. For example, the information capsule(indicated by a station building icon) of the station building displayedon the screen 200 has a menu 101 containing a ‘sectional view of thestation building’, the edifice-A and the edifice-B. Further, theinformation capsule (indicated by an edifice-B icon) of the stationbuilding edifice-B displayed on the screen 201 has a menu 102 containinga ‘sectional view of the edifice-B’ and the first through ninth floors(1F-9F). Moreover, the information capsule (indicated by a 7th flooricon) categorized as a station building edifice-B displayed on thescreen 202 has a menu 103 containing a ‘7th floor view’ and areas 1through 8. Then, the area 5 is, for instance, linked to a floor view ofthe area 5 and to an information capsule of a shop categorized as abeauty saloon (which are shown as a screen 203).

FIG. 18 shows a concept of a process of displaying the menu items of theinformation capsule linked to the plurality of hierarchies. For example,when the information user focuses, e.g., the information capsule of thestation building on the screen 200, the menu 101 (containing theselection items such as ‘station building sectional view’, the edifice-Aand the edifice-B) of the station building capsule is displayed.

Then, when the information user focuses, e.g., the edifice-B as theselection item, the menu 102 (containing the selection items of 1Fthrough 9F) of the station building edifice-B capsule, is displayedwithout downloading the image of the station building edifice-B.

Moreover, when the information user focuses the selection item of theseventh floor of the edifice-B, the menu 103 (containing the selectionitems of the areas 1 through 8) of the station building edifice-B 7thfloor capsule is displayed without downloading an image of the stationbuilding edifice-B seventh floor.

On the other hand, when the information user selects, e.g., ‘sectionalview of the station building’ from the menu 101, the Browser on theterminal 2 sends an image No. of the sectional view of the stationbuilding to the server 1, and the server 1 is requested to download theimage link based on the image of the sectional view of the stationbuilding.

The server 1 accepts the request and searches through the image database20 on the basis of the received image No., thereby obtaining thedesignated image. Further, the server 1 refers to the informationcapsule contained in a range of this image. Then, the server 1 refers tothe information capsule contained in the range of the image that hasbeen referred to. Then, the server 1 disposes the thus-referredinformation capsule within the image. These processes are the same asthose in the first embodiment.

Moreover, also when the information user selects the item of theedifice-A or -B, etc. from the menu 101, the processes of the terminal 2and of the server 1 are the same as above. Further, also when theinformation user selects one of the items of the menus 102 and 103,etc., the processes of the terminal 2 and of the server 1 are the sameas above.

For example, when the information user selects the area 5 from the menu103 (as by, e.g., clicking of a pointing device), the floor view and theshop information capsule, which are associated with the area 5, aredownloaded.

Thus, the present information system provides the function of directlyaccessing the desired information capsule by tracing the menus of theindividual information capsules without any repetition of downloadingthe image with respect to the information capsule linked to theplurality of hierarchies throughout.

In the discussion made so far, there has been explained the procedure oftracing the hierarchy of the highest-order information capsule againstthe background image that is the map page on the screen 200. Such aprocedure may, however, be executed from within a capsule other than thehighest-order information capsule.

For instance, the information user selects the sectional view of thestation building from the map page on the screen 200. Then, the server 1searches, in the same procedure as in the first embodiment, thebackground image (e.g., the sectional view of the station building) ofthe station building capsule, the information capsules (e.g., thestation building edifice-A capsule and the station building edifice-Bcapsule) contained in this background image, and the menu/linkinformation contained in the information capsules of the predeterminedhierarchies belonging to the low-order under the aforementionedindividual information capsules, and edits and thus downloads thesepieces of information as the station building edifice-A capsule and thestation building edifice-B capsule.

It may be defined how far those hierarchies are traced along fordownloading, as a system parameter of the server 1 or a user parameterretained by the server 1 for every information user. For instance, avalue of three hierarchies is defined as the system parameter, and, wheneach individual information user downloads the information capsule, themenus of the information capsules for the three hierarchies under thedownload target information capsule are added (linked) to the downloadtarget information capsule. Further, if a specified information userdefines this parameter as the user parameter, the priority may be givento the user parameter.

Moreover, when the information user selects the seventh floor of theedifice-B of the station building, the present information systemsearches the background image of the seventh floor of the edifice-B ofthe station building, the information capsules (e.g., the areas 1through 8) contained in this background image, and the menu/linkinformation contained in the information capsules of the predeterminedhierarchies belonging to the low-order under these individualinformation capsules, thereby editing and downloading these pieces ofinformation as the information capsules of the areas 1 through 8.

<Operation>

FIGS. 19 through 21 are diagrams of processing flows for displaying themenu items of the information capsules linked to the plurality ofhierarchies. FIG. 19 shows procedures of searching for a highest-orderinformation capsule from pieces of address-specifying information suchas addresses, postal codes, station names, etc., and downloading thehighest-order information capsule. Among these procedures, theprocedures in S1 through S3 are the same as those in S1 through S3 inFIG. 9.

The server 1 searches the map database 10 for map data on the basis ofthe transmitted information such as the address, the postal code or thestation name, etc., and thus acquires a result of the search (S2).

Next, the server 1 searches the information capsule database 11 for aninformation capsule contained in the relevant map and coincident with asearch condition on the basis of latitude/longitude information of twodiagonal positions (S3). To be specific, the server 1 searches theposition information database 8 for the information capsule of which thelatitude and the longitude are encompassed by the range of the relevantmap.

Subsequently, the server 1 judges whether or not the retrievedinformation capsule contains the link information (the image link) toimage information pages. Then, when this information capsule has theimage link, the server 1 refers to the information capsule within arange of a predetermined hierarchy from the information capsules linked(to one or more hierarchies) under this image link, thereby reading themenu/link information of this information capsule referred to. Then, theserver 1 adds the readout menu/link information to the menu/linkinformation of the information capsule searched for in S3, thus editingthe information capsule (S3A). Through this process, the menu/linkinformation is read from the information capsules linked to one or morehierarchies throughout in the low-order direction of the informationcapsule searched for by the process in S3 (which will hereinafter becalled a target capsule), and is added to the target capsule.

Next, the server 1 performs editing in a way that superimposes theretrieved information capsule (target capsule) on the map data, andsends the edited data to the terminal 2 (client) (S4). The terminal 2displays the received information capsule on the map (S5A). Unlike thefirst embodiment, however, as for the information capsule according tothe second embodiment, the menu/link information of the low-orderinformation capsules is taken in. Accordingly, when the information userfocuses each information capsule on the map, a menu of low-orderinformation capsules is displayed. Further, when focusing a menu item, amenu of lower-order information capsules is further displayed.

Thus, according to the information system in the second embodiment, theinformation user can display directly the desired information capsule bysequentially displaying the menus without downloading the image eachtime with respect to the information capsules linked to the plurality ofhierarchies throughout.

FIGS. 20 and 21 are diagrams each showing a processing flow of theinformation capsule containing the image link. A result of the operationshown in FIG. 19 and a process for the information capsule displayed onthe terminal, will hereinafter be described. Among these procedures, theprocedures other than S6A and S14A are the same as those shown in FIG.11 and are therefore marked with the same symbols, and theirexplanations are omitted.

After downloading the information capsule encompassed by a range of amap in FIG. 19 and coincident with a search condition of the informationuser, the information user selects, e.g., the information capsule of thestation building (S6A).

Thereupon, the server 1 judges whether or not this information capsulecontains the link information (image link) to the image informationpage. Then, when the information capsule contains the image link, theserver 1 searches for the background image and the information capsulecontained in this background image in the same procedures as those inthe first embodiment (S13, S14).

According to the present information system, the server 1 furthersearches in the low-order direction the image link of the informationcapsule searched for in S14. Specifically, when the information capsulesearched for in S14 contains the image link, the server 1 searches forthe menu/link information contained in the information capsule in apredetermined range on the low-order side. Then, the server 1 adds thismenu/link information to the information capsule searched for in S14,thus editing the information capsule (S14A). The processes from thisprocess onward are the same as those from S3A onward in FIG. 19. Throughthese processes, the information capsules associated with the respectivefloors of the edifice-A and the edifice-B are superimposed on, e.g., theimage of the sectional view of the station building, and the menu/linkinformation of the low-order information capsules is added to each(target) information capsule, whereby the (target) information capsuleis downloaded into the terminal 2.

When the information user focuses the information capsule associatedwith each floor on the image of the sectional view of the stationbuilding, as shown in FIG. 18, the menu of the low-order informationcapsules is sequentially displayed (S16). On the other hand, when theinformation user selects a specified menu item, an image link or a Webpage associated with this menu item is downloaded.

FIG. 21 shows a process when selecting the menu of the edifice-Binformation capsule contained in the image of the sectional view of thestation building. An object of this process is the same as in FIG. 20except such a point that the background image changes to the image ofthe sectional view of the station building from the map.

Effect of Embodiment

As discussed above, the present information system (server 1) downloadsthe information capsule into the terminal 2 in a way that adds themenu/link information of the (low-order) information capsules linked tothe plurality of hierarchies throughout to the high-order informationcapsule. Accordingly, the information user can select directly the menuof the low-order information capsules without any repetition ofdownloading the image linked to the plurality of hierarchies throughout.

Further, in this case, the scheme is not that URL of the once-accessedpage is registered as by the conventional bookmark but that there can bemaintained the information representing the hierarchical structure suchas Map=>Building Sectional View=>Floor View=>Shop=>Article, etc., andthe information user can therefore search for the information linked tothe menu of the low-order information capsules in a state of keeping thelogical relationship between the (high-order) information capsule andthe (low-order) information capsules.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 22 and 23.

The first embodiment and the second embodiment have exemplified theinformation system in which the district specifying information (theaddress, the postal code, the station name) and the search condition aredesignated, and the relevant information capsule is displayed on theterminal 2 of the information user.

The third embodiment will exemplify an information system for providinga function of storing such an information capsule in a private area forevery information user and improving usability for the information user.Other configurations and operations of the present information systemare the same as those in the first embodiment or the second embodiment.Such being the case, the same components are marked with the samereference numerals, and their explanations are omitted. Further, as thenecessity may arise, the drawings in FIGS. 1 through 21 will be referredto.

This private area is ensured for every information user in the privatedatabase 16 (see FIG. 1) on a hard disk of the server 1 and is managedby an information user ID (which is a subscriber code to the informationsystem). The information user accesses the private area as a Website onthe network. This Website is referred to as a MySite. FIG. 22 is adiagram showing a process of registering the information capsule in theprivate area.

Normally, the information user accesses the MySite from on a variety ofInternet connection devices (which will hereinafter simply be calledclients) (S120). Herein, the variety of Internet connection devices are,for instance, a PDA, a cellular phone, a PHS, a television set having acommunication line connecting function of a telephone, etc., a personalcomputer, a set-top box and so on.

Next, the information user gives a registration request to server 1 inorder to get a favorite information capsule registered in the privatearea (S121). This is attained by selecting, e.g., a menu titled‘Register in MySite’ in the pop-up menu of the information capsule.

Upon selecting this menu titled ‘Register in MySite’, a subscriber codeto a provide (which is a subscriber code to, e.g., a Cable TV company)for the information user concerned and an information capsule ID of therelevant information capsule, are transmitted to the server 1.

The server 1 receives the registration request (containing thesubscriber code and the information capsule ID) from the client (S122).Then, the server 1 registers the information capsule in the private areaidentified with the subscriber code of the information user concerned(S123). At this time, the information capsule ID of this informationcapsule is stored on the private database 16 (see FIG. 1).

Next, the server 1 transmits completion of having registered theinformation capsule in the private area (S124). With the transmissionthereof, a message saying that the registration of the informationcapsule has been done is displayed on the client (S125).

FIG. 23 shows a process of referring to the information capsule in theprivate area. In this process, the information user accesses the MySitefrom on the variety of Internet connection devices (clients) (S130).

At this time, the client requests the server 1 to search for thealready-registered information capsule (S131). At this moment, thesubscriber code of the information user is sent. This request isreceived by the server 1 (S132). The server 1 searches for, based on thesubscriber code of the information user, the information capsuleregistered in the private area for the relevant information user, andedits an information capsule list (S133). Then, the server 1 transmitsthis information capsule list to the client (S134).

Upon this transmission, the client receives the information capsule listfrom the server 1 (S135). At this time, the information user selects thewant-to-refer information capsule from the information capsule list(S136).

Then, the information capsule ID of this information capsule is sent tothe server 1. The server receives a reference request to the informationcapsule together with the information capsule ID thereof (S137).

The server 1 performs client-oriented editing by searching for theinformation capsule concerned (S138). Then, the server 1 transmits thereference-request-accepted information capsule to the client (S139).Through this transmission, the client receives the information capsuleselected in S136 from the server 1 (S140).

As discussed above, according to the information system in the thirdembodiment, the information user can register the desired information inthe private area for every information user that is managed by theserver 1. Accordingly, the information user previously registers theinformation capsule in the private area by operating, e.g., the cellularphone, and can refer to the information capsule from on otherinformation devices afterward such as the personal computer, the PDA andso forth. Namely, the information user can share the information capsulevia the private area among the information devices.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be discussed withreference to the drawings in FIGS. 24 through 27. FIG. 24 is aconceptual view showing a process of updating the information capsule.FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an update status of the informationcapsule. FIG. 26 is a chart showing an example of a data structure of aninformation capsule management table. FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing theinformation capsule updating process.

The first embodiment and the second embodiment discussed above haveexemplified the information system in which the district specifyinginformation (the address, the postal code, the station name) and thesearch condition are designated, and the relevant information capsule isdisplayed on the terminal 2 of the information user.

The fourth embodiment will exemplify a function of, in addition to theabove function, when the plurality of information capsules assuming thehierarchical relationship are updated, explicitly showing in ahigher-order information capsule that those information capsules havebeen updated. Other configurations and operations of the presentinformation system are the same as those in the first embodiment, thesecond embodiment or the third embodiment. Such being the case, the samecomponents are marked with the same reference numerals, and theirexplanations are omitted. Further, as the necessity may arise, thedrawings in FIGS. 1 through 24 will be referred to.

FIG. 24 shows a concept of the information capsule updating process. Asexplained in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, according tothe present information system, the information user selects the menuvia the icon of the information capsule (e.g., the station building)displayed on the map (S140), whereby a link image (an image of thestation building) of the information capsule can be displayed. Further,when selecting the seventh floor of the edifice-B of the stationbuilding in the image of the station building (S141), a link imageassociated with the seventh floor can be displayed. Through thisprocedure, the information user can obtain an information capsule of,for example, an interesting shop (depicted as, e.g., a beauty saloon inFIG. 24).

On the other hand, the information capsule has, as shown in FIG. 6, ahigh-order-directional link through capsule link information.Accordingly, when the low-order information capsule is updated, theupdating thereof can be easily transferred to the high-order informationcapsule.

For instance, when updating the information capsule of the shopcategorized as the beauty saloon (which will hereinafter be called abeauty saloon capsule), the server 1 traces the capsule link informationto a parent capsule of the beauty saloon capsule.

For example, when this beauty saloon capsule is linked to theinformation capsule of the seventh floor of the edifice-B of the stationbuilding (which will hereinafter be termed a station building edifice-B7th floor capsule), the server 1 sets the beauty saloon area of thestation building edifice-B 7th floor capsule in an update status on thebasis of the updating of the beauty saloon capsule (S150). For instance,the server 1 effects black-and-white reverse display of a section of thearea 5 to which the beauty saloon capsule in the image of the stationbuilding edifice-B 7th floor capsule belongs.

Moreover, the server 1, when the station building edifice-B 7th floorcapsule comes to the update status, traces the capsule link informationto the parent capsule of this station building edifice-B 7th floorcapsule. Then, when the station building edifice-B 7th floor capsule islinked to an information capsule of the edifice-B (which willhereinafter be referred to as a station building edifice-B capsule), theserver 1 sets the seventh floor area of the station building edifice-Bcapsule in the update status on the basis of the updating of the stationbuilding edifice-B 7th floor capsule (S151).

The server 1 sets the capsules in the update status that exist in thehierarchical structure ranging from the beauty saloon capsule up to thehighest-order station building capsule by repeating these processes. Asa result, the server 1, when the information user displays, e.g., a mapperipheral to the station building, makes the information user recognizethat any one of the information capsules under the station buildingcapsule has been updated. The information user can obtain the latestinformation in a way that focuses the updated information capsule.

FIG. 25 exemplifies the update status of the information. As shown inFIG. 25, it is assumed that the highest-order information capsuleagainst the background image of the map is expressed by “A” (whichrepresents an information capsule ID, and the connotation is the same inthe following discussion), information capsules linked to thisinformation capsule A are B1 through B5, information capsules linked tothe information capsule B4 are C1 through C5, and further informationcapsules linked to the information capsule C2 are D1 through D3.

Now, for example, a presumption is that the information capsule D3 beupdated. In the information system according to the fourth embodiment,the information indicating the updating of D3 is transferredsequentially to the higher-order capsules C2, B4 and A. Then, when theinformation user accesses the information capsules A, B4, C2 or D3, itis explicitly shown that these information capsules or the informationcapsules belonging to the low-order thereof have been updated. Theinformation user can therefore trace the hierarchical structure of theupdated information capsules.

FIG. 26 shows an example of a data structure of an information capsulemanagement table for managing the hierarchical structure of theinformation capsules. Each row of the information capsule managementtable retains a status of a single piece of information capsule. Eachrow of the information capsule management table has fields such as aninformation capsule ID, a high-order capsule ID and a capsule updatestatus.

The information capsule ID field is stored with an information capsuleID of the information capsule under row-by-row management. Further, thehigh-order capsule ID is recorded with an ID of the information capsulelinked to a higher-order by one hierarchy than each information capsule.Moreover, the capsule update status is recorded with data showingwhether a content of the information capsule has been updated within apredetermined period (e.g., within two days).

According to the present invention system, when one information capsuleis updated, all the information capsules ranked in the higher-order areset in the update status. For example, when the information capsule D3is updated, there are recorded update occurrences of the higher-ordercapsule C2 than D3, the higher-order capsule B4 than C2 and thehigher-order capsule A than B4. Under this management, the presentinformation system explicitly shows the updated information capsules tothe information user.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing the information capsule update process.In this process, the server 1 at first receives the update informationof the updated information capsule, e.g., the information capsule D3(S160).

Then, the server 1 changes the capsule update status of the informationcapsule D3 to ‘update occurred’ in the information capsule managementtable (S161).

Next, the server 1 sets the information capsule D3 in a capsule checkwork (S162). The capsule check work connotes a check target informationcapsule according to the present process.

Then, the server 1 judges whether or not the high-order capsule existsin the capsule check work (S163). When the high-order capsule exists inthe capsule check work, the server 1 changes the update status of thishigh-order capsule to ‘update occurred’ (S164).

Subsequently, the server 1 sets this high-order capsule in the capsulecheck work (S165). Then, the server 1 returns the control to S163.Further, if it is judged in S163 that none of the high-order capsulesexist in the capsule check work, the server 1 terminates the informationcapsule status update process.

As discussed above, according to the information system in the fourthembodiment, even when any one of the plurality of information capsulesassuming the hierarchical relationship is updated, the updateoccurrences of the higher-order capsules than this updated informationcapsule can be explicitly shown, the information user can therefore,when tracing the hierarchy of the information capsules from thehigh-order down to the low-order, obtain the latest information bytracing the updated information capsule.

Fifth Embodiment

A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained withreference to the drawings in FIGS. 28 through 38. FIG. 28 shows anexample of data of the information capsule according to the fifthembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 29 is a diagram showing anoutline of processing of the information system based on a mutualconversion between RDB (Relational DataBase) and XML (eXtensible MarkupLanguage). FIG. 30 shows an example of a capsule management table. FIG.31 shows an example of a MyCapsule management table. FIG. 32 shows anexample of a template generated as a standard capsule. FIG. 33 shows anexample of a MyCapsule management screen. FIG. 34 shows an example of ashop capsule management screen. FIG. 35 shows an example of a shopdatabase batch management screen. FIG. 36 is a diagram showing anoutline of processing when referring to the database related to thebuilding, the shop and the article. FIG. 37 is a diagram showing anoutline of processing when acquiring the capsules related to thebuilding, the shop and the article. FIG. 38 shows a display example of aMyBasket-based information capsule.

The first embodiment through the fourth embodiments discussed above haveexemplified the information system in which the plurality of informationcapsules are related to each other via the image link and are processedas the hierarchical information. Further, according to thoseembodiments, the discussions have been made on the assumption that theserver 1 retains the data as a so-called table-formatted RDB (RelationalDatabase).

According to the fifth embodiment, a process of extracting the datastored in the RDB and assembling the extracted data and the XML-scriptedinformation capsule together, will be explained.

Other configurations and operations thereof are the same as those in thefirst embodiment through the fourth embodiment. Such being the case, thesame components are marked with the same reference numerals, and theirexplanations are omitted. Further, as the necessity may arise, thedrawings in FIGS. 1 through 27 will be referred to.

Description Example of XML-Based Database

FIG. 28 shows an example in which the hierarchical data of the pluralityof information capsules are described in XML. In FIG. 28, a tagrepresents a definition of the information capsule in the way that thecapsule ID is defined such as <capsule ID=ooo>.

For example, a definition of the building capsule is given in a tag setstarting with <building capsule capsule ID =ooo> and ending with</building capsule>. In FIG. 28, however, all the information capsuleslinked via the menu/link information to the high-order informationcapsules are developed in-line and thus displayed.

For instance, the building capsule contains pieces information such as alongitude, a latitude, a large icon, an intermediate icon, a small icon,an icon banner (a definition of a banner type icon file name), an icontext, etc., and an event capsule, a link URL and a floor capsule.

Herein, the event capsule is an information capsule having none of thelow-order information capsules. On the hand, the floor capsule containedin the building capsule has a much lower-order information structure.Namely, the floor capsule builds up a hierarchical structure such asFloor capsule=>Shop capsule=>Article capsule.

Thus, the hierarchical structure of the information capsule is simplyexpressed by an XML tag nested structure.

<Mutual Conversion Between RDB and XML>

The data processed by the present information system are stored in theRDB, then converted into XML-formatted data and transferred to anapplication program (which is, e.g., a server program for downloadingthe information capsule into the information user). FIG. 29 shows theoutline of processing of the information system on the basis of such amutual translation between the RDB and XML.

For example DataSpider (a trademark of Appresso Ltd.) is known as aninterface program for mutually converting the RDB data and the XML data.Further, DataSpider is combined with a package program Yggdrasill (atrademark of Media Fusion Co. Ltd.). This softwarewise combination leadsto a proposal agreed upon between these two companies, wherein the datastored in the RDB are processed based on XML.

Also in the information system according to the fifth embodiment, thedata assembled as an information capsule are extracted out of thevarious categories of data stored in the RDB and then assembled based onXML as the information capsule (corresponding to mobile information).According to the fifth embodiment, the data stored in the RDB are calledmain data (corresponding to general information).

At this time, in the present information system, elements (which aretermed data items) structuring a record (corresponding to each row inthe table) in the RDB are associated with XML tags with informationcalled a DOM (Document Object Model) tree. In this case, among the dataitems of the records in the RDB, the elements assembled into theinformation capsule are designated (defined) in the DOM tree.

As shown in FIG. 29, each record in the RDB is uniquely identified witha data item “ID”. When each record is extracted as the informationcapsule, every information capsule retains this “ID” as an informationcapsule ID, which represents an association with the RDB record.

As discussed above, in the present information system, the hierarchicalstructure of the data items extracted from the RDB is described in theDOM tree. FIG. 29 shows a definition that, for example, the buildingcapsule contains information elements such as a latitude/longitude, anicon 1, etc., and a low-order shop capsule.

Then, a content of the building capsule is stored as a record specifiedby ID1001. Further, the information elements such as thelatitude/longitude, the icon 1, etc. are stored in the respective dataitems of the record specified by ID1001. Similarly, a data content ofthe shop capsule is stored as a record identified such as ID=2001.

Thus, the application program for processing the information capsuleuses the DOM tree to access the RDB with the information capsule IDserving as a key, and inputs and outputs the data.

FIG. 30 shows an example of a capsule management table for managing thedata items contained in the individual information capsule (theinformation capsule managed by the capsule management table in FIG. 30is a shop capsule). The capsule management table is a table showingwhether or not each information capsule contains the associated dataitems of the RDB. In FIG. 30, the capsule management table is displayedon a capsule management screen 40 as a tool for editing the informationcapsules.

The capsule management data in FIG. 30 are given as an example for theshop capsule. In FIG. 30, the data item contained in the shop capsule(the data item thus contained in the information capsule is called acapsule item) is marked with “o”, while the data item that is notcontained in the shop capsule is marked with “x”. Accordingly, thecapsule management table has the same items as the data items of therecord in the RDB. It is sufficient that each of the items in thecapsule management table retains 1-bit information such as “o” or “x”.

It can be understood that the information capsule of which theinformation capsule ID is, e.g., ID1001 contains <attribute>,<latitude/longitude>, <icon 1> and so on.

In the capsule management table, even the data items of the capsulebelonging to the high-order hierarchy above each information capsule aredefined. This high-order capsule is defined by a data item “high-ordercapsule ID”. Therefore, for instance, in the example of the capsulemanagement table in FIG. 30, the definition is that ID2001 (a shopcapsule) is ranked higher than ID3001 (an article capsule), and ID1001(a building capsule) is ranked much higher than ID2001.

Note that the hierarchical structure of the information capsules isdefined in the DOM tree, and hence the definition (the higher-ordercapsule ID) of the hierarchical structure of the capsule managementtable is not necessarily indispensable. Information capsule searchperformance can be enhanced by retaining the high-order capsule ID inthe capsule management table.

When the information provider (for example, a proprietor of the shop oran advertiser) defines a structure of the main data (RDB) by use of anedit program (which may also be called an authoring tool), the editprogram creates this type of capsule management table. This edit programhas a capsule management screen 40 linked to the capsule managementtable, and the information provider can add or delete the capsule itemsas he or she intends.

FIG. 31 shows an example of a MyCapsule management table used for aMyCapsule owner (who is the information user having registered theinformation capsule in MySite) to manage MyCapsule (which is theinformation capsule registered in MySite described in the thirdembodiment). In FIG. 31 also, the capsule management table is displayedon the capsule management screen 40.

The MyCapsule management table is different from the normal capsulemanagement table in terms of such a point that a management object is anindividual information capsule registered in MySite. The function ofdefining the capsule items and the hierarchical relationship with thehigh-order capsule is, however, the same as the normal capsulemanagement table has.

The information user who has registered the information capsule asMyCapsule in MySite is able to edit the user's own MyCapsule as he orshe intends, and an edited result is stored in the capsule managementtable.

Namely, the capsule items of MyCapsule can be added or deleted based ona judgment of the capsule owner (who is the information user havingregistered MyCapsule in MySite). Further, for example, when theinformation user acquires an article information capsule as MyCapsule,the standard operation is that a high-order information capsule abovethis article information capsule, which is an information capsule of,e.g., an article sales shop or a building to which this shop belongs,etc., is acquired and registered in MySite.

FIG. 32 shows an example of a template used for the information providerto create the RDB main data. According to the fifth embodiment, thetemplate is defined as ‘framework-preset software’ provided for theinformation user to facilitate the creation of the main data stored inthe RDB.

The information provider can facilitate the creation of the main data byinputting characters, numerals in items indicated within this frameworkand by pasting (known as a processing procedure like copy & paste, drag& a drop, etc.) an image, a photo and so on.

Moreover, a sales promoting effect can be given by setting in thistemplate an over-the-counter catch-the-customer's attention tool such ascoupons, etc., a fixed-type catch phrase for appealing a merit of thearticle, a solicitation mark and an image by way of selection items.

Herein, the solicitation mark connotes an image mark representing meritsof the article, the shop, etc. For example, the shop dealing with foodsis assigned a mark implying ‘freshness’, a restaurant is assigned a markinvoking an image of ‘high grade’, ‘low charge for the quality’, etc.

A specified data item in the data items defined in this template isdesigned in linkage with an XML-scripted database. When inputting datain such a data item, an XML tag set is assigned thereto, and thetag-attached data is stored in a predetermined item on the RDB via theDOM tree. Among the templates, the template used for creating the shopinformation capsule is called a shop template.

When a proprietor (the information provider) of a certain shop inputsthe main data of his or her own shop, the following procedures areexecuted.

(1) The information provider acquires an ID number and a password of theshop from a management company like CATV, etc. (or from a provider,etc.).

(2) Further, the information provider inputs an icon, a shop name, anaddress, a telephone number, etc. in predetermined input boxes on a shoptemplate screen in accordance with instructions. Inputted data arestored as the main data on the RDB.

(3) Data items associated with the information capsule in the inputteddata are assigned XML tags embedded beforehand in the shop template, andare stored on the RDB according to the shop ID and the DOM tree.

(4) Moreover, the information provider, when inputting eventinformation, selling floor information or article information, selects alow-order template (a template for the event, the selling floor or thearticle, etc.) on the shop template (or the screen where the shop ID canbe identified), and inputs the ID and the name thereof. Then, when theinformation provider has inputted the information in designated items inthe same procedures as in the case of the shop template, the inputtedinformation is stored as the main data on the RDB.

A standard pattern showing which item is treated as the capsule itemwith respect to the main data inputted in the procedures describedabove, is preset on the template.

For attaining this, for example ON/OFF flags may be set in therespective data items of the template. The edit program creates the shopcapsule table according to the flags. It is to be noted that normallythe IDs (the main data ID and the high-order data ID), the icon, theposition information, a display text, a link destination URL, etc. areset as the capsule items.

This type of standard data nested structure, the XML tags and thecapsule items are embedded in the template, and the information providerhas no necessity of being aware of them. For instance, if there are dataabout the coupons, the specified article information, etc. desired bythe shop side to be carried onto the information user (, i.e., desiredto be captured onto MySite), however, the information provider candisplay the self-shop registered items on the capsule management screenof the edit program and can individually input the registered items intothe information capsule (can define the registered items as the capsuleitems) or can remove them from the capsule. Such an operation may bedone by a manipulation such as drag & drop, and so forth.

Note that normally a valid period is set in the input information (inputitems) from the template. The input items, of which the valid periodexpires, are excluded from the display object. The information itselfis, however, separately saved by the server 1.

The information capsule registered as MyCapsule in MySite is neverexcluded from the display object even when its valid period expires.When accessing MyCapsule with its valid period expired from on theterminal 2, however, a message saying that ‘the valid period of thecapsule expires’ is displayed.

Further, in the hierarchical structure consisting of the plurality ofcapsule items, when a valid period of the low-order capsule item isupdated, the high-order capsule item is likewise modified in accordancewith the low-order capsule item. With this contrivance, in the capsuleitems, as far as the low-order item has been modified and is kept valid,the high-order item is never deleted.

In the capsule items, however, the valid period is not an indispensableitem, and setting thereof may be omitted.

FIG. 33 shows an example of the capsule management screen (which willhereinafter be referred to as a MyCapsule management screen 40) on whichan addition, a deletion, etc. of the data item to and from MyCapsule aredesignated.

The information user connects to MySite by inputting the ID and thepassword to the server 1, and opens the MyCapsule management screen 40,wherein a list of tree-structured information capsules that are retainedat the present is displayed on Window (a MyCapsule area 300 titled‘present MyCapsule’).

The information user clicks the capsule item (e.g., a shop capsule named‘xx shop’), whereby a much lower-order information capsule (e.g., anarticle capsule of ΔΔ goods, etc) is displayed.

A capsule of which the valid period expires just when referred to (whichis information of a capsule item of which a display period expires onthe database for the main data of a reference source), is displayed in acapsule delete item area 302.

A capsule item that is still within the valid period but getsunnecessary can be given an indication for deleting by moving thiscapsule item to the capsule delete item area 302 from the MyCapsule area300. The information user can arbitrarily effect deleting in editing thecapsule items of the information capsule. On the other hand, as for theaddition of the capsule item to the information capsule, the itemapproved by the information provider (e.g., the shop owner) as an editobject to the information user, is displayed and can be added as theinformation user intends.

When the information user presses a delete button 303 and thus indicatesan execution of deleting the items moved to the capsule delete item area302, all the MyCapsule items including the target capsule ID number inthe capsule management table are deleted.

If the information user retains the information capsule in anticipationof a future recovery though invalid at the present, the information usermay bring the information capsule back to the MyCapsule area 300 beforebeing deleted.

Further, the information user who wishes to retain the main datapermanently may download not the information capsule but the main dataitself from the database.

FIG. 34 shows an example of a capsule management screen (which willhereinafter be termed a shop capsule management screen 41) used for theinformation provider to manage the shop capsule.

To start with, the information provider inputs a self-shop ID and apassword to the server 1, whereby information of the information capsule(whose creation right and edit right are possessed by the shop) retainedby the shop concerned, is displayed based on the tree structure in theshop capsule area 310.

The information provider clicks a capsule item (e.g., a selling floorcapsule specified by ‘oΔ selling floor’), whereby a much lower-ordercapsule (for instance, an article capsule of ‘ΔΔ goods’ etc.) isdisplayed.

When the information provider clicks a certain capsule item (e.g., aselling floor capsule specified by ‘oΔ selling floor’), the server 1refers to the database stored with the main data, and a list of inputteddata (for example, a list of items handled on the selling floorconcerned) of the hierarchy under the clicked item (selling floor), isdisplayed on a central window 311.

An instruction of adding the capsule item is made by selecting thetarget item on this window 311 and moving (drag & drop, etc.) the targetitem to the shop capsule area 310. Further, an instruction of deletingthe capsule item is made by selecting the target item on this window 311and moving (drag & drop, etc.) the target item to the capsule deleteitem area 312.

The server 1 rewrites, based on this operation, statuses (e.g., “o”, “x”shown in FIG. 30) in the capsule management table.

FIG. 35 shows an example of a shop database batch management screen. Inthe template described above, the information per shop and theinformation per article are individually inputted. By contrast, the shopdatabase match management screen provides a list-based batch managementfunction about the information items for managing intra-building tenantinformation and a department store on a selling-floor-by-selling-floorbasis and managing the articles handled at the shop, and so on.

The information provider accesses the server 1 and, after inputting theshop ID and the password, opens the batch management screen. On thisscreen, the information provider can batchwise input the items and cando batch processing of designating encapsulation of the already-modifiedand -inputted items. It is noted that when inputting from on this shopdatabase batch management screen, the DOM tree may be embedded in thetable and thus be managed or may also be separately defined.

FIG. 36 shows a processing outline when referring to the databasesrelated to the building, the shop and the article. Shown herein is anexample of processing by, e.g., an application program for providing theWeb page and a database management program for providing the function tothis application program.

In this process, the application program (e.g., a server program) issuesa reference command indicating a capsule ID (e.g., a building capsule)and a hierarchy count (S201). Then, the database management programrefers to the DOM tree (written as a style sheet in FIG. 36), and readsdata of data items corresponding to capsule tags from records in theRDB, which are associated with a designated capsule ID and withlow-order information capsule thereunder (S202).

The database management program assembles the readout data into thehierarchical structure of the information capsules according to the DOMtree, and returns the data together with the capsule management table ofthe information capsules to the application program (S203). At thistime, there is generated the hierarchical structure for a hierarchycount designated by the application program, e.g., for three hierarchies(the building, the shop and the article).

The application program may download the hierarchical structure of thegenerated information capsules and the capsule management table onto theinformation user (terminal) in the procedure similar to that in thefirst embodiment and the second embodiment. Thus, the presentinformation system operates XMLDB built up by a combination of the RDBand the DOM tree.

FIG. 37 shows a processing outline when acquiring the capsules relatedto the building, the shop and the article. This process starts with anacquisition command (e.g., a request for registering as MyCapsule),issued from the application program (e.g., the server program), forindicating the capsule ID (for instance, the article capsule) (S211).

In response to this acquisition command, the database management programrefers to the DOM tree (written as the style sheet in FIG. 36) and thusacquires from the RDB pieces of information of the relevant informationcapsule (e.g., the article capsule), the high-order shop capsule abovethe article capsule and the building capsule including a geographicalposition (latitude/longitude), and also the capsule management table ofthese information capsules (S212). The thus acquired informationcapsules and the capsule management table are transferred to theapplication program described above (S213), and registered as MyCapsule.Further, the acquired information capsules may also be downloaded ontothe browsing party terminal 2 in the same procedure as in the firstembodiment and the second embodiment. The information user can edit andutilize these information capsules as he or she intends on the capsulemanagement screen 40 (see FIG. 33).

FIG. 38 shows a display example of the information capsules based onMyBasket. MyBasket is a function of comparing and displaying a specifieddata item with respect to MyCapsule (the information capsules registeredin MySite).

This function works as follows. The information user selects and inputsa plurality of information capsules (MyCapsule) registered in MySiteinto MyBasket. Then, the server 1 displays a list of the relevant datairrespective of the hierarchies to which those information capsulesbelong.

For example, upon indicating an article name, a price and a shop name asdisplay items, names of articles retained in the respective informationcapsules, prices thereof and names of shops holding these articles aredisplayed as a list on the basis of the data of the information capsulesthrown into MyBasket. Accordingly, the information user can acquire alist of purchase-planed items to be purchased on the very day, a list ofvisit target shops and a total amount of budget required for shopping.

Further, the information user throws the information capsules of thesame items at different shops into MyBasket, and can, if a unitnumerical quantity, a unit price, etc. are displayed, make a comparisonbetween prices.

The procedure of throwing MyCapsule into MyBasket has been explainedherein, however, the shop capsule may also be thrown into MyBasket.

The capsule items, which have been once thrown into MyBasket, are movedto the MyCapsule area 300 and thus registered as MyCapsule. Further, theinformation in MyBasket can be deleted batchwise by pressing a clearbutton.

Effects of Embodiments

AS discussed above, according to the present information system, variouscategories of information stored in the RDB can be treated as theinformation capsules. Namely, the information can be smoothlytransformed into the information capsules from within the RDB via theDOM tree and the capsule management table. This function enables thefunctions of the information capsules described in the first embodimentthrough the fourth embodiment to be utilized in the information systeminvolving the use of the RDB.

Moreover, according to the present information system, the informationcapsule can be assembled by combining the data items desired by theinformation provider among the data items stored in the RDB. Further,the capsule items can be added or deleted according to the intention ofthe information user (the owner of MyCapsule and the terminal 2) byregistering the information capsule built up as MyCapsule by theinformation provider (e.g., the advertiser) and downloading theinformation capsule onto the terminal 2. As a result, the informationuser can acquire the information capsule consisting of the necessarydata items.

Other Applied Examples and Effects

The following applications other than the embodiments discussed aboveare possible by utilizing the information capsules. For instance, whenproviding the information via a network, the items desired by theinformation creating/providing party (the information provider) to belooked at preferentially by the information user, are preset as thecapsule items (an integrated form of pieces of information is built up),and, when transmitting the information, this integrated form ofinformation can be sent preferentially. This integrated form ofinformation corresponds to a title or contents in the case of a book.With this scheme, the summarized information can be formed from amongthe various categories of information.

The information user can select from the summarized information theinformation item that meets the user's own needs and interest, and canrequest the more detailed information related to the summarizedinformation. In the present situation, the hypertext link contains sucha related information search function, however, the acquisition of therelated information is done on a page-by-page basis and is thereforeredundant and time-consuming as well.

Moreover, the utilization of the information capsule enables aconsiderable reduction of distributing and browsing the non-interestinginformation. Further, the information user has no necessity of beingaware of sorting out the information capsules on the occasion ofaccumulating and managing the received information, wherein theinformation (the capsule items or the information capsule as aintegrated form thereof) is automatically sorted out and managed inaccordance with the original hierarchical structure set by theinformation provider.

Even in the case of additionally acquiring the information (the capsuleitems or the information capsule as a integrated form thereof) later on,the information is automatically stored in a due location in thehierarchical structure (tree structure) prepared by the informationprovider. Further, the information that becomes unnecessary afteracquiring the information capsule can be arbitrarily deleted.

Moreover, when the information capsule is utilized, if the main dataindicated by the information capsule are updated, the latest informationis displayed to the information user.

Further, the information insertion/preservation period (the validperiod) is set in the information, whereby the information can bedeleted without individually obtaining a consent of the creator (theowner, the information provider).

Still further, the typical template suited to a service content and acontent substance provided by the information provider is created, andthe setting of the standard capsule items is built therein, whereby thetemplate-based information can be provided to the information provider.

The implication of the integrated form of the information might differdepending on individual value stances such as a bundle of informationvaluable to the information provider and a bundle of informationvaluable to the party that receives and utilizes the information. If theinformation capsule is utilized, however, the bundle of informationvaluable depending on the respective needs can be readily edited.

The spread of the Internet made it possible to instantaneously gatherthe necessary pieces of information from the world over, however, theutilization of the information gets more difficult as the informationbecomes larger in quantity. If the information capsule is utilized, itis feasible to provide the mechanism for managing the informationwithout any labor, wherein the keys (links) to reaching the informationdesired by the information user are structured in a compact form andutilized in a handy manner.

The fifth embodiment has exemplified the process of providing theinformation capsule on the basis of the combined version of the RDB andXML. The embodiment of the present invention is not, however, limited tosuch a scheme. For example, the main data may also be scripted in XML.Further, the information capsule may be described in a table format andmay also be provided with a pointer for linking to the hierarchicalrelationship. Moreover, the data may be scripted in a data format otherthan the RDB or XML.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be applied to a manufacturing industry ofinformation devices or communication devices, a service industryutilizing the information devices or the communication devices, and acomputer software industry.

1. An information providing apparatus for providing a terminal in anetwork with element information containing menu information fordisplaying an item displayed and selected as a menu and link informationfor specifying a link destination to be displayed upon selection of themenu by image specifying information and a second element information tobe arranged on the image, comprising: means for accepting an acquisitionrequest of a first element information from the terminal; means forsearching for a link destination subsequent to the second elementinformation to be arranged on a non-menu image based on the imagespecifying information of a link information contained in the firstelement information upon acceptance of the acquisition request of thefirst element information and for defining a spatial relationshipbetween the non-menu image and the first element information based onthe first element information, thereby collecting multiples of theelement information linked within a range of a predetermined hierarchyhaving a low-order from the first element information; means for adding(a) the menu information of said multiples of the element informationlinked within the predetermined range from the first element informationto (b) the menu information of the element information of a link sourcehaving the link information for each of said multiples of the elementinformation, thereby building up a hierarchical structure includinglow-order element information; and means for downloading andtransmitting the multiples of the element information batchwise to bebuilt up with the hierarchical structure to the terminal, wherein theelement information and the menu information are realized as data withthe element information being located to the menu information.
 2. Aninformation providing method in which a terminal in a network withelement information containing menu information for displaying an itemdisplayed and selected as a menu and link information for specifying alink destination to be displayed upon selection of the menu by imagespecifying information and a second element information to be arrangedon the image, comprising: accepting an acquisition request of a firstelement information from the terminal; searching for a link destinationsubsequent to the second element information to be arranged on anon-menu image based on the image specifying information of a linkinformation contained in the first element information upon acceptanceof the acquisition request of the first element information and fordefining a spatial relationship between the non-menu image and the firstelement information based on the first element information, therebycollecting multiples of the element information linked within a range ofa predetermined hierarchy having a low-order from the first elementinformation; adding (a) the menu information of said multiples of theelement information linked within the predetermined range from the firstelement information to (b) the menu information of the elementinformation of a link source having the link information to each of saidmultiples of the element information, thereby building up a hierarchicalstructure including low-order element information; and downloading andtransmitting the multiples of the element information batchwise to bebuilt up with the hierarchical structure to the terminal, wherein theelement information and the menu information are realized as data withthe element information being located to the menu information.
 3. Aprogram and the method executed by a processor stored on acomputer-readable medium that terminal in a network with elementinformation containing menu information for displaying an item displayedand selected as a menu and link information for specifying a linkdestination to be displayed upon selection of the menu by imagespecifying information and a second element information to be arrangedon the image, comprising: accepting an acquisition request of a firstelement information from the terminal; searching for a link destinationsubsequent to the second element information to be arranged on anon-menu image based on the image specifying information of a linkinformation contained in the first element information upon acceptanceof the acquisition request of the first element information and fordefining a spatial relationship between the non-menu image and the firstelement information based on the first element information, therebycollecting multiples of the element information linked within a range ofa predetermined hierarchy having a low-order from the first elementinformation; adding (a) the menu information of said multiples of theelement information linked within the predetermined range from the firstelement information to (b) the menu information of the elementinformation of a link source having the link information to each of saidmultiples of the element information, thereby building up a hierarchicalstructure including low-order element information; and downloading andtransmitting the multiples of the element information batchwise to bebuilt up with the hierarchical structure to the terminal, wherein theelement information and the menu information are realized as data withthe element information being located to the menu information.